Matsunaga Jian’s World of Tea Ceremony

Matsunaga Yasuzaemon, whose pseudonym was Jian, was a businessman known as the “tycoon of electricity” and also a tea master. His collection of tea utensils is introduced along with some episodes from tea ceremonies.

Tanakamaru Collection: Karatsu and Takatori Ware

This collection contains articles collected by Tanakamaru Zenpachi, the former president of the Fukuoka Tamaya Department Store.

Karatsu-yaki, ceramics produced in the Karatsu area, and Takatori-yaki, produced in the Takatori area are displayed along with the museum’s own collection.

Karatsu ware
Tea bowl with iris design in underglaze iron
Important cultural property

Buddhist art from the Tokoin Temple

This exhibit displays Buddhist statues, including important cultural properties donated by Tokoin Temple (some articles are subject to change depending on timetable). Please take your time to enjoy these beautiful figures of sacred Buddhist statues in the gallery space that was remodeled to recreate the atmosphere of the temple.

Standing Yakushi-nyorai (Bhaisajyaguru)
Heian Period, 12th century
Important Cultural Property

Childrenʼs Art Museum in Summer Vacation 2019 Letʼs Reveal the Secret of Ancient Japanese Art

What is this artwork made of? Where did it come from? What’s so interesting about the piece? We will introduce their secrets, including the behind the scenes stories that only our curators know.

Mongolians hunting

The Tastes of Tea Masters

Konomi : the unique tendencies or sense of design used for tea utensils originally formed by tea masters. This exhibition displays the tea masters’ sense of beauty and the values of the time period through the konomi of masters such as Sen no Rikyu, Furuta Oribe and Kobori Enshu.

Tea bowl known as “Jirobo”, Raku ware, Kuro-raku type
Momoyama period 16th century

Tanakamaru Collection: The Beauty of Old Pottery from Kyushu

The charms of old pottery from Kyushu, that is richly varied, are introduced. It is displayed as a collaborative exhibition with Childrenʼs Art Museum in Summer Vacation 2019.

Pillow with inlaid design, Yatsushiro ware
Tanakamaru collection

The Masterpieces from the Collection in the Autumn of 2019

Including Autumn Flowerbaskets by Ogata Kanzan that Matsunaga Jian used to regularly show in tea ceremonies in autumn, excellent pieces from the Matsunaga Collection have been carefully selected to match the elegance of autumn.

OGATA Kenzan
Autumn Flowerbaskets
Important Cultural Property

The Power of Ink

Artworks depicted with lines in sumi  ink are on display. Please enjoy various lines of elegance, boisterousness and so forth.

Artist unknown
Story of In-dainagon picture scroll
Nanbokucho period 14th century

The Brilliance of Sometsuke: Blue and White Pottery

A world of beauty consisting of the blue and white colors that Sometsuke ware shows.

Seika, which is also in underglaze blue from China and Vietnam, of our collection and Koimari, or old Imari ware, are introduced together in one place.

Nabeshima ware
 Large plate with landscape design in underglaze blue

Pottery To Be In Use and To Be Seen

Potteries buried with a dead person, some for ritual events and some as ornaments.

Potteries of all times and places are introduced focusing on various roles of them.

 Kakiemon style, Arita ware
 Large covered bowl with flower-and-bird design in underglaze blue and enamels

Exhibition of Masterpieces from the Early Modern Paintings Collection

Masterpieces specially selected from our museum’s early-modern paintings collection will be introduced to match the Five Ukiyo-e Favorites Exhibition , which will be held during the same period of time.

 IWASA Matabei
 Ise, from the ‟Portraits of the thirty-six poetic immortals”
 Japan, 17th century

Shidai, Accessories of Tea Utensils

Shidai is a generic term for tea utensils and the various accessories pertaining to them. Excellent tea wares from the Matsunaga Collection along with shidai will be on display.

Hikiya(tea-caddy case) and Shifuku(tea-utensil cover) ,
Accessories of ‟Tea caddy of roteiguchi type”

Buddhist Art from Tokoin Temple

Wooden sculptures, including Important Cultural Property, donated by Tokoin Temple, located in the Yoshizuka district of Hakata ward, will be displayed. (Some pieces will be rotated during the exhibition). We hope you enjoy the sacred figures of Buddhist art in the quiet space modelled on a temple’s praying hall.

Image: Tokoin Temple Buddhist Art Gallery

The Tanakamaru Collection : A Literary Calendar of Tablewares

This time from the Tanakamaru Collection, which consists of old pottery from major kilns around the Kyushu region, we focus on pieces expressing seasonal sentiments such as through their patterns, shapes and glaze designs. Please enjoy approximately 30 exhibits that introduce the transitions of the four seasons through pottery from Karatsu, Takatori, Satsuma and Utsutsugawa.

Tea bowl with iris design in underglaze iron
Important Cultural Property
16 – 17 century (Momoyama – Edo period)

Exhibition of New Collections

The pieces which were donated between 2015 and 2019 will be introduced.

画像：仙厓義梵《海老図》 江戸時代  19世紀

Spring Masterpieces 2020

Enjoy artwork that is ideal for spring, carefully selected from the Matsunaga Collection.

画像：野々村仁清《色絵吉野山図茶壺》江戸時代 17世紀

Art and Patrons

Patronage is essential for art. Patrons support artists’ creation and sometimes do their own art. In this exhibition, we focus on the various relationships between art and its patrons.

Image: Yama-deva, Important Cultural Property, Heian period, c. 952

Sengai Exhibition

Sengai Gibon (1750-1837) was a Zen monk who served as head priest of Shofuku-ji Temple in Hakata, the oldest-established Zen Buddhist temple in Japan. He was loved by local people for his characteristic and humorous paintings. This exhibition attempts to search for the secret of his popularity by reviewing his wide range of art works. (Some pieces will be rotated during the exhibition).

Coptic Textiles and Cultural Assets from the Ancient Orient

The Matsunaga Collection includes not only tea utensils but also various artworks and crafts from the East and West. Among them, Coptic textiles from ancient Egypt are particularly substantial. In this exhibition, Coptic textiles will be displayed along with Persian ceramics and crafts.

Akaji-jinbutsumon-tsuzure-origire (Piece of tapestry, figure design Coptic Egypt)
Egypt, 6^th – 7^th century

Zoo of Asian Antiques

Animals that were drawn and shaped in pre-modern art, such as in paintings, sculptures and art crafts from Asian areas are exhibited all in one place. This zoo is full of features including Otter, highlighting a realistic depiction of an otter by Kano Tan’yu, and Kyukozokarakomon-byobu, a great folding screen piece with highly splendid techniques distinctively found in the Meiji era (1868-1912).

Image: Oxen, Clay Figurines, Pakistan, c.2000 B.C.

Autumn Masterpieces 2020

Excellent pieces from the Matsunaga Collection have been carefully selected to match the elegance of autumn, including Autumn Flowerbaskets by Ogata Kenzan and the tea bowl known as “Shirasame”, a kaki-no-heta type that Matsunaga Jian used to regularly show in tea ceremonies in autumn.

Image : OGTA Kenzan, Autumn Flowerbaskets, Important Cultural Property, Edo period, 18^th century

From Indian Sarasa to African Prints

The Indian fabric sarasa was popular in the world for its vivid and long-lasting colors. It came to be manufactured in Indonesia and Europe and the sarasa “genes” have been passed on to African Prints. We will trace the history of sarasa, which has been transformed over 500 years.

Image: Super Wax Prints sample, Design: NISHIZAWA LIMITED, Manufacturer: SANYO SENKO Co., Ltd., 1993

Seeing the Breeze

Humans have found sacredness in the wind since ancient times and have been visualizing it by drawing in various forms. In this exhibition, we explore how the wind, which is invisible, was depicted and what kind of thought was put into the artworks.

Image: Fujin (god of wind), Kamakura period, 14th century

Buddhist Art to Tea Utensils

There are quite a few tea utensils that were originally made for different purposes. It can be said that Buddhist Art is a representative of this. Introducing the Buddhist Art from the Matsunaga Collection, this exhibition leads you to consider how it is used in tea ceremony.

Image: Sutra case, Heian period, 1118

National Treasure: The Gold Seal, Kanno Wano Nano Kokuo

The Gold Seal, a National Treasure, is part of the Fukuoka City Museum’s collection, but it is now on display here while the Fukuoka City Museum is temporarily closed until March 28, 2021. Please enjoy other Gold Seal-related artifacts from the Edo period, including Kin’in-ben, or Research on the Gold Seal, published by KAMEI Nanmei.

Image: The Gold Seal, Inscribed Kanno Wano Nano Kokuo
China, 57 A.D.

Buddhist Art from Tokoin Temple

Wooden sculptures, including Important Cultural Property, donated by Tokoin Temple, located in the Yoshizuka district of Hakata ward, will be displayed. (Some pieces will be rotated during the exhibition.)

Image: Tokoin Temple Buddhist Art Gallery

Splendid Treasures of the Kuroda Clan

The Kuroda Clan were former feudal lords of the Fukuoka Domain. Armor, paintings, tea utensils and furnishings carefully selected from their inherited treasures will be displayed.

Image: Conch shells, Momoyama period, 16th century

Exhibition of New Collections

New acquisitions from 2020 will be introduced.

Image: Sengai Gibon, Hanshan and Shede, Inscription by TAISHITSU Soshin, Edo Period, 19th century

Spring Masterpieces 2021

Accompanying Tea Leaf Jar with Design of Mt. Yoshino by NONOMURA Ninsei, an Important Cultural Property, selected masterpieces suited to spring and through to the beginning of summer will be displayed.

Image: Bowl with Iris Design, Mino Ware, Shino Type, Momoyama–Edo period, 17th century

The Tanakamaru Collection: Aesthetics of Old Karatsu Ware

Karatsu ware is the most substantial series of the Tanakamaru Collection, which is known as a predominant collection of old pottery from the Kyushu region. This exhibition will show distinguished potteries such as E-Garatsu, a brush-decorated Karatsu ware, Oku-Gorai, which is a Karatsu ware said to have been produced by immigrant potters from Korea, Chosen-Garatsu or Karatsu ware made with clay-coil forming method and Mishima-Garatsu or Karatsu ware with inlaid designs.

Image: Important Cultural Property, Tea Bowl with Iris Design in Underglaze Iron, Karatsu Pottery, Momoyama–Edo period, 17th century

Fukuromono: Vases and Bottles

While flatter plates are called hira-mono, containers with swollen body are called fukuro-mono. We will exhibit fukuro-mono in various shapes by introducing vases as mizu-sashi or pitchers and bottles as hana-ire or flower vase and tokkuri or sake bottles.

Image: Important Art Object, Mei-ping Vase with Design of Peony Scrolls in Underglaze Blue, Jing-de-zhen Ware, Ming dynasty, 16–17th century

Children’s Art Museum during Summer Vacation 2021　What is this? Mysterious Old Art

How is it used? Who is drawn in the picture? There are artworks containing “mysteries” of the old art world. You might discover something new or interesting when you look carefully and think about the artwork.There will be special workshops throughout the duration of the exhibition.

Image: Female Clay Figurine, Pakistan, c. B.C. 3000–B.C. 2500, The Morita Collection

Autumn Masterpieces 2021

Autumn, which is the transition of summer to winter, gives an intricately mixed feeling of comfortableness and sadness. The paintings and art crafts suited for the autumn season, mainly tea utensils from the Matsunaga Collection, will be exhibited.

Image:  Sesson Shukei, Monkey reaching for the moon, Muromachi period, 16th century

Playing and Laughing in Japanese Art

Playful artworks that make you smile or that you would interject, “How on earth did you create such a painting?” will be introduced.

Image: KANO Shoun, Comic Pictures of Paradoxical Characters, 17th century

Brilliant Raden and Sparkling Makie

Makie is a decorative technique used in lacquer ware, in which gold or silver powder is sprinkled over patterns painted with lacquer. Raden is also a decorative technique of pasting or inlaying thin flakes of mother-of-pearl and such in patterns on lacquer ware. These best two techniques of urushi lacquer ware will be introduced by gathering masterpieces of Makie and Raden together.

Image: Writing Paper Box Decorated in Makie and Mother-of-Pearl Inlay with Design of Rice-planting Scene, Edo Period, 17–18th century

Becoming a Sengai Expert

The priest Sengai was so popular for his Zen paintings drawn full of humor. You’ll find out how to enjoy Sengai’s work much more.

Image: Sengai Gibon, Hotei, God of Fortune, Yawning, Edo Period, 19th century

Looking Hoary with Patina: World of Time-passed Beauty

Pottery whose color changed due to being buried, bronze wares covered with rust of deep verdigris colors, and urushi lacquer ware that were overused and worn up.We focus on beauty of antique looks which only eternal-time-passed craftworks can present.

Image: Ewer in Shape of Phoenix’ Head, Decorated with Stripes in Underglaze Blue, Iran, 12–13th century

The World of the Offerings

There are many old artworks which were made as offerings to gods and Buddhas. There are also things that were inherited to date because of having been offered to gods and Buddhas. We exhibit the works selected with a viewpoint of “offering.”

Image: Kesa (Priest’s Robe) of Nine Patched Bands in Tsujigahana-zome Dyeing, Momoyama Period, 16th century

Exhibition of New Collections

The exhibition introduces artworks purchased or gifted to the collection in fiscal year 2021.

The following are some of the works included in the exhibition:

Peranakan dress (third donation from the Mr. and Mrs. Lee Kip Lee Collection), Indian Sarasa, Painted figure of warrior, calligraphy and painting by Matsunaga Jian on shikishi (decorated thick, square sheets of paper).

Image: MATSUNAGA Yasuzaemon, Legend on Mt. Fuji picture, 1962

Flowing Beauty: Water in Japanese Art

This exhibition introduces works of art related to water. The motifs include the watersides and seascapes that are symbolic of the natural environment in Japan, the abundance of life nurtured by water, water current designs that invoke dynamic movement and a sense of transience, and prayers to water.

Image: Costume, design of mist patterns with drooping cherry sprays, streams and irises on yellow ground, Ryukyu, Edo period 19th century

Buddhist Art from Tokoin Temple

Wooden sculptures, including Important Cultural Property, donated by Tokoin Temple, located in the Yoshizuka district of Hakata ward, will be displayed. (Some pieces will be rotated during the exhibition.)

Image: Tokoin Temple Buddhist Art 

Spring Masterpieces 2022

The exhibition introduces seasonal tea utensils for spring and early summer among the masterpieces in the Matsunaga Collection. In addition to Tea Leaf Jar with Design of Mt Yoshino (Important Cultural Property) by Nonomura Ninsei, which is on permanent display, the exhibition features approximately twenty pieces including Peonies, attributed to Qian Xuan, and Willow by Ogata Kenzan.

Image: Attributed to Qian Xuan, Peonies, Yuan dynasty 14th century

The Tanakamaru Collection: Topography of Earthenware in Kyushu Areas (Pottery Edition)

The Kyushu region, also known as “the kingdom of ceramics,” is an area where distinguished Japanese ceramics are produced. We have selected pieces fired in Kyushu during the Momoyama and Edo periods from the Tanakamaru Collection for this exhibition, which discusses, by area, the history and special characteristics of the works.

Image: Tea bowl with pine design in underglaze iron. Shiga pottery, 18th century, Tanakamaru Collection

Matsunaga Jian and Masuda Don’o

An authority among the modern sukisha (tea devotees), Masuda Don’o drew Matsunaga Jian and many other entrepreneurs into the world of the tea ceremony. This exhibition intersperses anecdotes about Don’o with pieces from the former Don’o collection and other related items.

Image: Tea bowl known as “Jikkoku”, kofuki type, Joseon dynasty, 15th-16th century, Matsunaga Collection 

Autumn Masterpieces 2022

In addition to the utensils that Matsunaga Jian used at the autumn tea ceremony, the exhibition also introduces carefully selected masterpieces from the Matsunaga Collection, including Corpulent Woman, a section from The Scroll of Diseases and Deformities.

Image: Section from Scroll of Diseases and Deformities. “Corpulent woman” (important cultural property), Heian-Kamakura period 12th -13th century

The World of Folding Screen Paintings

Used to partition rooms or as windbreaks, folding screens were indispensable for interior decoration. We hope you will enjoy the magnificent depictions on the large surfaces unique to folding screen paintings and the three-dimensional effect created when the screens are folded.

Image: Genre Scenes of Westerners, Momoyama period 17th century, Kuroda Family Treasures

Matsunaga Jian in Rokyoso

Matsunaga Jian moved to Rokyoso, his residence in Odawara, after the war. Even in the midst of operating his electric power business, the tea ceremony was the focus of his life. The display of tea utensils from the Matsunaga Collection provide a glimpse of his tea ceremony practice at the time.

Image: Letter entitled Jojikengo no fumi (Important art object), Shuho Myocho, Nanbokucho period dated 1334

Exhibition of Sengai’s Artworks

A Zen priest in the Edo period, Sengai Gibon, fondly referred to as “Sengai-san of Hakata,” served as chief priest at Shofuku-ji Temple in the Hakata area of Fukuoka City, the first Zen temple in Japan. The exhibition introduces many of his familiar and much loved artworks.

Image: Sengai Gibon , SAITO Shuho, Edo period 19th century

Matsunaga Jian and Artists Who Were His Contemporaries

As a collector, Matsunaga Jian had relations with many of the artists whose work he collected, including the versatile craftsman Ogi Seisai. This exhibition intersperses anecdotes with works that demonstrate the friendship between Matsunaga and artists.

Image: OGI Seisai , Writing box, decorated in maki-e lacquer with design of deer, 20th century

Exploring Art in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar

As the recipient of several donations of entire collections, the Fukuoka Art Museum has an outstanding collection of ancient art from Southeast Asia. The exhibition features carefully selected items of ceramics and Buddhist art focused on ancient art from Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar that lends color to the history of Indochina.

Image: Ewer with incised dragon, phoenix and scrolling design, white and brown glazed, Si Satchanalai, Thailand., 14th -16th century

Buddhist Art from Tokoin Temple

Located in the Yoshizuka district of Hakata Ward, Tokoin Temple is a Buddhist temple having a long history. Its main object of worship Standing Bhaisayaguru (Important Cultural Property) is believed to heal a range of illness, particularly an eye disease, and has been worshipped from ancient times. Along with this statue, Tokoin Temple inherits a number of wooden sculptures, many of which are designated as Important Cultural Property.

              This exhibition invites viewers to see these statues in the gallery modelled on an old temple and to feel the prayers of local residents in the olden days. (Some pieces are rotated during the exhibition.)

Image: Tokoin Temple Buddhist Art Gallery

Spring Masterpieces 2023

From the Matsunaga Collection, tea utensils suitable for spring through early summer are showcased. Alongside Nonomura Ninsei’s Tea leaf jar with design of Mt Yoshino (Important Cultural Property), which is on permanent display, the exhibition presents about twenty pieces including Mandara showing views of Kasuga shrine and Kofuku-ji temple, the masterpiece representing old religious beliefs in Japan.

Image: Mandara showing views of Kasuga shrine and Kofuku-ji temple, Kamakura period, 13th century

Exhibition of New Collections

Pre-modern artworks newly gifted or purchased in fiscal year 2022 are exhibited.

Image: SAKAI Hoitsu, Kannon, goddess of mercy (detail), Edo period, dated 1824

Everyone is on Display! Iwasa Matabei’s “Portraits of the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets”

A painter of the Edo Period, Iwasa Matabei (1578-1650) was particularly characterized by his distinctive style of depicting the human figure. This exhibition presents two sets of the thirty-six immortal poets painted by Matabei.

Image: IWASA Matabei, Portraits of the thirty-six immortal poets, Edo period, 17th century

Ceramic Tableware in Kaiseki Cuisine: Dishes, Bowls, and Drinkware

A meal served at a tea gathering is called Kaiseki, in which the host’s careful considerations for entertaining guests are reflected in the menu featuring seasonal ingredients and the selection of tableware to serve them. This exhibition focuses on three types of ceramic tableware typically used in Kaiseki cuisine: mukozuke (dish), hachi (bowl), and shuki (drinkware), and introduces their splendid examples.

Image: Set of four Mukozuke dishes, Mino ware, Shino type, Momoyama period, 16th-17th century

Children’s Art Museum during Summer Vacation 2023: Beautiful Sea! Wonderful Sea!

Not only does the sea bring us various benefits, but it also fascinates us with its ever-changing light and water. Through the museum’s pre-modern art collection, the exhibition shows how our ancestors have approached and represented the sea. Workshops are also to be held during the course of the exhibition.
               What is more, the Children’s Library during Summer Vacation is open in the same room, where a selection of picture books related to the exhibition is introduced. Let’s enjoy reading them!

Image: Case in the shape of tortoise,  16th-17th century, Honda Collection

Autumn Masterpieces 2023

To coincide with the ongoing special exhibition Paintings from Korea’s Joseon Dynasty: Landscapes, Human Figures, and Flowers and Birds, a selection of Japanese and Chinese paintings produced around this period is displayed in this show.

Image: Attributed to Muxi, The fifth Zen patriarch, Important Cultural Property, China, 14th century

Exceptional Antique Pottery: Utsutsugawa Ware from the Tanakamaru Collection and Others

Standing out for its splendid design and originality, Utsutsugawa ware was produced briefly from the end of the 17th century to the early 18th century in what is now Utsutsugawa Town, Nagasaki Prefecture. In addition to the museum’s collection, this exhibition includes excellent pieces from the Tanakamaru Collection and brings together about thirty works of Utsutsugawa ware.

Image: Dish with fluted edge and gingko leaf design, Utsutsugawa ware, Edo period, 17th-18th century, Tanakamaru Collection

Exhibition of Sengai’s Artworks

A Zen monk in the Edo period, Sengai Gibon served as chief priest at Shofuku-ji Temple in the Hakata area of Fukuoka City. Fondly called as “Sengai-san of Hakata,” he gained much popularity for his approachable artworks. Some of his much-loved works are displayed in this exhibition.

Image: Sengai Gibon, Dog, Edo period, 19th century

Exchanges beyond the Sea: Calligraphy and Others

Since ancient times, a number of Zen priests have traveled between Japan and China over the sea. Their calligraphic work is called Bokuseki, which is particularly highly regarded in the world of tea ceremony. This exhibition introduces Bokuseki and other works which illustrate exchanges between Japan and China.

Image: Qingzhuo Zhengcheng, Chinese verse presented to the monk Genchu, Important Cultural Property, Kamakura period, dated 1326

Masterpieces of the Kano School

The Kano school is a group of painters which held sway over the art circle from the 15th to the 19th century. From the museum’s collection, this exhibition introduces selected artworks by the leading Kano school painters such as Motonobu and Tan’yu. 

Image: Attributed to KANO Motonobu, The Zen patriarch Fengkan and Han-shan and She-de , Muromachi period, 16th century

Record of Tea Ceremony Series Ⅲ: Hara Sankei and Matsunaga Jian

Hara Sankei (1868-1939) is one of the prominent figures who drew Matsunaga Jian into the world of tea ceremony and influenced him as a tea master. Featuring tea utensils previously owned by Sankei, which are now part of the Matsunaga Collection, this exhibition sheds light on their close relationships and Jian’s respect for his master Sankei.

Image: OGATA Kenzan, Autumn flowerbaskets, Important Cultural Property, Edo period, 18th century

Textiles of Asia: India, Indonesia, and Cambodia

Rooted in each region and nurtured through exchanges with different cultures, textiles have attracted people beyond generations. From the museum’s rich collection of textiles, fine examples from South Asia and Southeast Asia are on display.

Image: Ceremonial hanging, design of animal and tree of life (detail), Cambodia, 19th century